Bulb unloading device for a continuous conveyor type machine



5 Sheets-Sheet 1 k wag y a WW w a W S W m W 0 v0 5 9 p y. H 10 Z R 3w 55 3 6 m P U 2 Z k W 5 6 my B M r W M H I II\ M Nov. 27, 1956 MEI/V6 4592 Filed March 31, 1955 F H E 5 m M rtl Nov. 27, 1956 Filed March 31,1955 R. R. PARDUCCI ET AL BULB UNLOADING DEVICE FOR A CONTINUOUSCONVEYOR TYPE MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 E5 l t w 127 6, v/,' 1 4 i l 1 Il V: l .14

124. I 125 W 130 41' 105 INVENTOM Nov. 27, 1956 R. R. PARDUCCI ET AL2,771,980

BULB UNLOADING DEVICE FOR A CONTINUOUS CONVEYOR TYPE MACHINE .5Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 3l 1955 INVENTORS PALPA/ Q. PflEDl/CCI,

Patented Nov. 27, 1956 BULB UNLOADING DEVHIE FOR A CONTINUOUS CONVEYORTYPE MACHINE Ralph R. Parducci, Wood-Ridge, and William Brenneck, WestCaldwell, N. J., assignors to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, EastPittsburgh, Pa., 2 corporation of Pennsylvania Application March 31,1955, Serial No. 498,304

4 Claims. (Cl. 19827) The present invention relates to a continuousconveyor type lamp making machine and, more particularly to a lamp orbulb unloading device for such a machine.

Although the bulb unloading device may be employed with any continuousconveyor type lamp making machine a continuous conveyor type bulb firingmachine for incandescent lamps for semi-indirect lighting may beemployed for purposes of illustrating the invention. These lamps havegenerally mushroom-shaped bulbs, the

larger diameter bowl ends of which are coated with colored ceramicenamel. After drying in air an annular design may be scribed into thepainted surface. The bulbs are then loaded into the heads of acontinuous conveyor type machine and passed through a stationary firinglehr thereof at a firing temperature adjusted to prevent a. shift incolor but to fuse or fire the ceramic enamel to the bulb. In the pastthe lehred bulbs were unloaded from the firing machine by hand.

Hence, it has been found advantageous according to the present inventionto provide an automatic bulb unloading or bulb transfer device for acontinuous conveyor type lamp making machine.

The unloading device comprises a pair of rails which are verticallypivotable on a rail frame. The rail frame is horizontally rotated aboutits vertical axis by a rtating mechanism. An actuating finger oroperating lever of this rotating mechanism is contacted by a head of thecontinuous machine and is rotated thereby. The operating lever isconnected through a train of gears to the rail frame. The rails arepivoted vertically upon their pivot joints by a rail lifting mechanism.The lifting mechanism has a roller arm on a shaft journalled in the railframe and is raised up and down by a stationary lifting cam on the railframe. A connecting rod joins a lifting arm on each projecting end ofthe shaft to the pivot point of each rail.

As a lehred bulb on a bulb holder of the firing machine approaches thebulb unloading mechanism of the invention the rails thereof are in aposition to straddle the neck of the lehred bulb just below the largediameter bowl of the bulb. The spindle of the bulb holder rotates theoperating lever of the rotating mechanism for the rail frame.Simultaneously, the lifting cam of the rail lifting mechanism elevatesthe rails and hence moves the lehred bulb oil? the spindle upwardly to apoint where the inclination of the rails causes the bulb to slide(through the force of the gravity) away from the line of heads on thecontinuous firing machine and into a delivery chute to a conveyor.Immediately thereafter the spindle loses contact with the operatinglever of the unloading device and resilient means return the unloadingdevice to its starting position.

In its general aspect the present invention has as its objective theautomatic unloading of a bulb from a continuous conveyor type lampmaking machine.

Referring now to the drawings in which like numerals of referenceindicate the several views:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a firing machine for fusing adried ceramic enamel coating to the bulbs of semi-indirect generallighting lamps and an automatic bulb unloading device.

Fig. 2 is a plan elevational view of the bulb unloading device of Fig. 1showing a firing machine spindle as it engages an operating lever of arail frame rotating mechanism of the unloading device.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view along the line Ill-III of Fig. 2 andin the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of the rail framerotating mechanism of the bulb unloading device of the invention alongthe line IV-IV in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a view, similar to Fig. 2, but showing the bulb unloadingdevice of the invention in its bulb discharge position and the spindleabout ready to disengage the operating lever of said device.

Fig. 6 is a vertical side elevational view of the bulb unloading devicein its discharge position along the line VI-VI of Fig. 5 and showing theunloaded bulb delivered to a discharge chute.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to Fig. 1 the referencenumeral 10 designates a continuous conveyor type firing machine forceramic coated incandescent lamp bulbs 16 and having a conveyor 12 whichmoves COHtlIlllOllSlY about a frame (not shown). The conveyor 12 isprovided with a plurality of heads 14 (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6) forreceiving ceramic enameled bulbs 16, and carrying said bulbs 16 througha firing lehr 18 to fuse the ceramic enamel to the bulbs 16. A bulbunloading device or bulb unloader 20 (Fig. 1) is located adjacent thedischarge position of the firing machine 10 and a discharge chute 22(Figs. 1, 2 and 5) for transferring a lehred bulb 16 from a head 14through the chute 22 to a discharge conveyor 24.

Conveyor 12 As shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the conveyor 12 comprises an upperchain 30 and a lower chain 32 disposed about the slide or guide rail 34.Each of the chains 30 and 32 engages a sprocket 35 (Fig. l) on eitherend of the machine 10. One of the pairs of sockets 35 may be driven bymeans (not shown), such as a motor. Each of the heads 14 is carried bythe upper chain 30 and the lower chain 32 and slides along the guiderail 34, as hereinafter explained.

Heads Each of the heads 14 has an upstanding U-shaped spindle mountingbracket 36 secured to the upper chain 30 and the lower chain 32, as byrivets (Fig. 3). A spindle 38 extends through the bracket 36 and isjournalled in the upper and lower generally horizontal hub portions 40and 42 of the spindle mounting bracket 36. The spindle 38 although freeto rotate in the hubs 40 and 42, is prevented from moving verticallywith respect to the bracket 36 by means of a collar 44 carried by thespindle 38 contiguous to the upper hub 40 and a rotating gear 46 (Fig.3) carried by the spindle 38 adja cent to the lower hub 42. This gear 46engages a stationary rack (not shown) which extends substantially thelength of the firing lehr 18 so that the heads 14 are rotated duringtheir passage therethrough thus assuring even firing of the enameledbulbs 16 carried on the heads 14. A bulb holder 48 (Figs. 2, 3 and 5)contoured and suitably quadranted (Fig. 2) to fit the neck portion ofthe enameled bulb 16 is aflixed to the upper end of each' spindle 38.

The upstanding portion of the spindle mounting bracket '36'ca'rries astud or roller shaft 50. A roller 52 on the An adjustable mounting plate61) 2, 3, 4 and is secured by bolts (not shown) .extending through anadjustable 'slot (not shown) in the plate 69 to a horizontal member 62(Fig. 3) of the frame (not'shown) of the machine 19. The other side ofthe plate etllmay be affixed to a support member 64, as by bolts.The'l-ower endof the'mernber 64 maybe fastened to a lower horizo'ntalmember (notshown) onthe frame (not shown).

A body or casting (Fig. .3) "of the bulb unloader 20 V has anupstanding'plate or angle 72 provided with a generally horizontal bottommounting flange 74, secured adjustably as through slots therein andbolts 76 (Fig. 2) to the mounting plate'60. The angle 72 has an uppermountingplate or flange 86 (Figs. 2, 3, 5 and ,6) and a lower mountingplate or flange 82 in suitable spaced relationship.

Rail frame rotating mechanism An operating lever shaft 86 (Figs. 2, 3, 4and 5 an idler gear shaft 88 and a rail frame mounting shaft 94 of therail frame rotating mechanism 91 are journalled in suitable hearings inthe upper plate and the lower plate The operating lever shaft 86 carriesan operating bell crank lever 92 (Figs. 3 and'4) and a drive gear 94.The

operating lever 92 is provided with an inner arm' 95 having a spindleengaging end portion 96, and an outer arm' 99 having an endportionltliifor engagement with an adjustable stop 104 mounted on thelower plate 82 of the casting 78. This stop 104 determines the startingposition of the operating lever 92. V

' As shown particularly in (Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 resilient means, suchas'a spring 106, extends from a lugon the operating lever 92, toa springmounting bracket 108 pro jecting from'lower plate 82 of the casting 7 0.The operating lever shaft 86 is retained between the brackets 80 and 82by means of a gear hub ofthe drive gear 94 and a suitable collar 110affixed thereto, as by set screws. 7

The idler gear shaft 88 is similarly journalled between the plate 80 and82 by means of collar 112 and the hub vided with a cam roller 148 142.Each of the outer portions of the shaft 146 which project beyond theplates 126 carries a lifting arm 149. A connecting rod 15%? joins theouter end of each of the arms 149 to a lug provided on a pivot armafiixed to a guide rail 128.

Operation As the spindle 38 of a continuously moving head 14 (carryingan already lehred ceramic enameled bulb 16) engages the end portion 96on the inner arm 95 of 'the operating lever 92, the lever 92 and hencethe shaft 86 and the drive gear 94 carried thereby are moved in aclockwise direction, when viewed in Fig. 4, against the action of thespring 166. The guide rails 128 are in aposition to straddle the neck ofthe lehred bulb 16 just below the enlarged bowl portion of the bulb 16(Figs. 2 and 3). The idler gear 114 on the shaft 88 moves in acounter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 4, so that the drivengear116 on the rail'frame mount shaft 90 moves in a clockwise direction whenviewed in Fig. 4. .Thus, as the spindle 38 moves the operating lever 92through an arc in a clock- Wise direction (when viewed in Fig.4) the.rail frame or yoke 12a? is likewise moved in a clockwise direction awayfrom the heads 14 of the machine 10 by the above'described rail framerotating mechanism 91.

Simultaneously, duringthe horizontal rotation of the rail frame 129about a vertical axis, the roller'148 on the roller arm 146 rides up theinclined angular stationary cam 142, thus rotating the shaft 144' andthe operating arms 149 carried thereby upwardly in a counterclockwisedirection, when viewed in Fig. 3. Upward movement of. f the arms 149moves upwardly the connecting rods'150 to V a rotate the pivot arms 130,the guide rails 128 andthe lehred lamp 16 carried thereby about ahorizontal axis. The upward movement of the rails 128 lifts the lehredbulb 16 off the spindle holder 48 and upwardly to the of an idler gear114 thereon. The gear 114 engages the 7 drive gear 94 on the operatinglever shaft 86 and a driven ,gear 116 on the shaft 90. It will beunderstood that the shaft 90 carries a generally U-shaped rail frame oryoke 129 on the upper end thereof which projects beyond the upper plate80 of the casting 70. A suitable collar 122 rel tains the shaft 90journalled between the plates 80 and 82. The drive gear 94, theintermediate or idler gear 114 and the driven gear 116 form a geartrainfor transmitting rotary motion of the operating lever 92 to therail fram 120.

The rail frame 120 comprises a bottom portion or plate 124, and guiderail mount or side plates 126, suitably integrated by a rod 127. Thisrod 127 serves as a spacer and support for an asbestos sleeve 127' fortipping a bulb 16 bowl downduring transfer (Fig. 6). 126 have theirupper portions suitably widened for mounting thereon, as hereinafterexplained, a pair of arcuate guide rails' 128. Each of the guide rails128 carry a pivot Rail lifting mechanism 7 A stationary arcuate upwardlyincline d'c am 142 of the rail lifting mechanism (Figs-3 and 6)ismounted by 7 suitable means,'such as bolts, to the upper flangestl 'ofthe 'casting 70'. A horizontal shaft 144 journalled'in'suitable bushingsin the side rails 126 carries a roller 31'11'1'146P10- The side rails Vplate provided witha lowenmountingflange and a pair "of generallyhorizontally s'pacedshaft mountingflange said rail frame.- r V, V

"2. A bulb unloading device for a continuous conveyor point wheregravity causes the bulb 16 to slide downwardly on the rails 128. Whenthe neck of the bulb 1 6* strikes the asbestos sleeve '127, the bulb 16is inverted and delivered bowl end first (Fig. 6) into a chute 22 fromwhence it slides into the conveyor 24 for transfen for example, to asealing machine (not shown). i

At this point in the operation tne spindle 38 (Fig. 5)

V is about to' roll off the spindle engaging end% of the operating lever92 of the bul'b unloading mechanism 29 of the invention. As the spindle38 of thehead 14 moves further along with the conveyor and disengagesitselffrom the lever 92, the spring 166 swings the lever 9 2 of the bulbunloading device 20 in a counterclockwise dlffiC.

tion (Fig. 5) until the lever 92 engages the stop 164. In this positionthe operating lever 92 and hence the bulb unloading mechanism 25). ofthe invention are ready, respectively, to' receive the spindle 38 of thenext-approaching head 14 and the lehred'bulb 16' carried thereby beendisclosed, it will be understood that modifications may be made withinthe spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim: a V I l. A bulb unloading device for acontinuous conveyor typemachine comprisingia'body, a rail frame rotatable of said machine forhorizontally "rotating said rail 1 frame about a vertical axis, a pairof bulb receiving guide rails pivoted on'said rail frame and arail'lifting mechanism on said body for simultaneously rotatingsaid'rails about a horizontal axis during the'horizontalrotation of typemachine comprising-a body haying air-upstanding a rail frame rotatablein saidflanges, a vrailifrarne rotating mechanism on said body forengagement with a' for engagement with the cam Although'a preferredembodiment of the 'invention has continuously moving head of saidmachine and for horizontally rotating said rail frame about a verticalaxis, a pair of bulb receiving guide rails pivoted on said rail frameand a rail lifting mechanism on said body for simultaneously rotatingsaid rails about a horizontal axis during the horizontal rotation ofsaid rail frame.

3. A bulb unloading device for a continuous conveyor type machinecomprising a body, a rail frame rotatable in said body, a rail framerotating mechanism on said body for engagement with a continuouslymoving head of said machine and for horizontally rotating said railframe about a vertical axis, said rail frame rotating mechanismcomprising an operating lever shaft, an idler shaft and a rail framemounting shaft journalled in said body, an operating lever on saidoperating shaft for engagement With a continuously moving head of saidmachine, a driven gear on said mounting shaft, a drive gear on saidoperating lever shaft, and an intermediate gear on said idler shaft inengagement with said drive gear and said driven gear, a pair of bulbreceiving guide rails pivoted on said rail frame and a rail liftingmechanism on said body for simultaneously rotating said rails about ahorizontal axis during the horizontal rotation of said rail frame.

4. A bulb unloading device for a continuous conveyor type machinecomprising a body, a rail frame rotatable in said body, a rail framerotating mechanism on said body for engagement with a continuouslymoving head of said machine and for horizontally rotating said railframe about a vertical axis, a pair of bulb receiving guide railspivoted on said rail frame and a rail lifting mechanism on said body forsimultaneously rotating said rails about a horizontal axis during thehorizontal rotation of said rail frame, said rail lifting mechanismcomprising a stationary cam on said body, a shaft journalled in saidrail frame, a roller arm on said shaft, a roller on said roller arm forengagement with said cam, lifting arms on the outer ends of said shaftand a connecting rod for joining each operating arm With a guide rail.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,382,144 Taylor June 2 1, 1921 1,489,892 Loughridge Apr. 8, 19241,712,907 Stenhouse May 14, 1929

